Shuttle for cops and electric feelers



June 20, 1933. R TURNER 1,914,625

SHUTTLE FOR COPS AND ELECTRIC FEELERS Filed Jan. 14, 1931 E R/[HARU G. EPA/5f? VWM A FUR/V1915 Patented June 20, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT orrice RICHARD GREENLEAF TURNER, F WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO GROMPTOIT & KNO'WLES LOOM W'GRKS, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPO- RATION OF MASSACHUSETTS SHUTTLE FOR COPS AND ELECTRIC FEELERS Application filed January 14, 1931.

This invention relates to improvements in electrical weft detectors for shuttles operating with cops or centerless masses of weft and it is the general object of the invention to provide such a device constructedso as to keep the cop properly positioned in the shuttle.

In the weaving of certain fabrics the weft is wound in the form of a cop which is centerless in the sense that there is no quill or bobbin to support the weft. The mass of weft is forced into the shuttle and held therein frictionally. The form of weft detector which I employ comprises a combined detecting and contacting arm the effect of which is to crush or collapse the last few coils of yarn which remain in the shuttle when the latter is substantially depleted. The pressure of the detector arm is such as to move the cop out of proper position and it is a further object of my invention to provide the ordinary cap or retained cover for shuttles of this type with a part formed so as to hold the bobbin in place and thus counteract the weft displacing action of the detector arm.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein a convenient embodiment of my invention is set forth,

Fig. 1 is a vertical central longitudinal section through a shuttle made according to my present invention and showing the position of the detector and its plate when sufficient weft for continued weaving is present,

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line 22 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a view similar to a portion of Fig.

1 but with the parts moved to detecting position, and

Fig. l is a vertical section 011 line 44; of Fig. 3.

The shuttle S is provided with a bobbin chamber containing a centerless cop 0 held in the chamber between the walls 11 and 12, respectively, of the shuttle. Mounted at Serial No. 508,707.

one end of the shuttle is a pivot pin 14 on which is mounted a flexible or resilient cover 15 the opposite end of which passes under a retaining clip 16. The latter is fixed with respect to the shuttle and serves to prevent upward displacement of the cap. The cap together with the side walls and bottom of the shuttle form a substantially closed weft compartment for retaining the weft cop 0. That part of the shuttle thus far described except for one portion of the cap 15 may be of the usual construction.

In carrying my invention into effect, I secure to the bottom 13 of the shuttle a resilient detector contact arm which may be held in place by means of rivets 21 or the like. One of the walls of the shuttle is provided with a contact plate 22 electrically connected to the contact arm 20 by means of wire 23. cured to the body of the shuttle as set forth herein below the pivot pin 14 and above the free outer end of the contact arm 20. This finger is electrically connected by means of wire 25 to a Contact plate 28 similar to but insulated from the plate 22. The plates 22 and 26 may be of the usual form and are positioned to coact with a pair of electric contact fingers not shown herein but well understood. It is sufficient for the purposes of the present description to state that when the plates 22 and 26 are in electrical contact a change will be brought about in the operation of the loom.

The cap is provided with a downwardly inclined part 30 which conforms more or less to the tapering or conical end of the cop which is adjacent the contact arm 20, and this portion 30 serves to resist upward, movement of the cop under action of the arm 20.

In operation the cap will be raised to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 3 and the weaver will insert a full cop, threading the weft thereon through the eye E. As the cop is forced downwardly the end adjacent the electrical device will force the arm 20 downwardly away from the finger 24. The cap is then moved to its normal position with the free end thereof under the clip 16 and with The contact finger 24 may be sei the inclined portion holding the conical end above the contact arm 20 from upward movement under influence of the latter. As weaving continues the coils of weft over the arm 20 will be sufiiciently stifi' to hold the latter depressed, but as exhaustion approaches as set forth in Fig. 3 the remaining coils of weft will be of insufiicient strength to withstand the pressure of the arm 20 and 19 the latter will move upwardly from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 to the position shown in Figs. 3 and at. The result of this movement of arm 20 is to establish contact with the finger 24 so that the plates 22 and 26 will be in electrical contact and a change will. be'brought about in the operation of the loom, such as stoppage or shuttle change.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a weft detector for shuttle-s operating with cops wherein the cap is so formed as to assist the coils of weft over the arm 20 in holding the latter downwardly, any tendency on the part of the said arm to lift the coils prematurely being resisted by the inclined part 30 of the cap. It will also be seen that the contact feeler arm 20 is disposed transversely of the plane of coils so that it does not tend to move between adjacent coils to give premature indication,

finger, the latter moving into electrical engagement with the finger to establish contact with the latter when the supply of weft is insufficient for continued weaving.

3. In a shuttle operating with a centerless mass of wound weft, a cap carried by the shuttle and movable vertically toward the top of the cop and engaging the latter to prevent the same from moving upwardly, a contact arm located in the bottom of the shuttle and pushing yieldingly upwardly against the bottom of the wound mass of weft toward the cap, and a fixed contact between the cap and contact arm positioned to prevent engagement of the contact arm by the cap as the latter moves vertically, the contact arm normally being held out of engagement with the fixed contact when a sufiicient supply of wel't is present, and the contact arm being movable into electrical engagement with the fixed contact when insuflicient weft remains for continued weaving.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

RICHARD GREENLEAF TURNER.

but is required to compress the coils to the form shown in Fig. l before indication can be given.

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In a. shuttle operating with a centerless mass of weft, an electric contact arm normal- 1y pressed up against the bottom of the weft, a cap extending over the weft and holding the same down in the shuttle against the action of the contact arm, and a contact finger secured to the shuttle between the contact arm and cap, a sufficient supply of weft holding the contact arm spaced from the finger and the arm engaging the finger to establish electric contact therewith when the supply of weft is depleted, the finger placed and effective to limit movement of the contact arm toward the cap.

2. In a shuttle operating with a centerless mass of wound weft, a cap in the upper part of the shuttle to press the mass of weft down, a yielding contact arm mounted in the bottoin of the shuttle and pushing upwardly against the bottom of the wound mass of weft in the direction toward the cap, and acontact finger fixed to the shuttle and located between the cap and the contact arm, said finger preventing engagement of the cap with the contact arm, a sufficient supply of weft holding the contact arm away from the 

